Two convictions, 22 provisional detentions in drug bust

Operation Fuego (fire)  on  August 24  in Panama, Colon, and West Panama when 41 people were arrested resulted in  22 provisional detentions,12 house arrests, five periodic notifications, and two convictions.

The investigation by the Specialized Prosecutor for Drug-Related Crimes uncovered a criminal network allegedly dedicated to drug trafficking to the United States and Europe through the contamination of containers that arrived at ports in the province of Colón.

In the hearing of guarantees, which lasted 11 days, Judge Janina Mosquera considered the imputation of charges for conspiracy to commit drug-related crimes, money laundering, corruption of public servants, and forgery of documents.

During the hearing, two sentences of 60 months in prison were achieved through a sentence agreement for Dr. Virgilio Córdoba, for the comm corruption of public officials, and for Roberto Henry, for conspiracy to commit drug-related crimes.

According to the investigation that began in 2019, members of the network controlled the itineraries of the containers that entered the port of Cristóbal, in Colón.

The network allegedly had the collaboration of port employees, lawyers, and a member of the National Police who alerted them about checkpoints and operations.